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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 120 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. key — in music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mug — a face
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bark — to shout
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. key — the most important part
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. drill — army training
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — to rob

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