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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. march — the month
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. race — the arms race
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. race — a contest
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. track — a path
  13. suit — to fit
  14. race — humankind
  15. suit — clothes
  16. track — to keep track
  17. march — music
  18. track — a song
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. hand — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com