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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. board — a committee
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. deal — to handle
  17. board — to get on
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. season — of the year
  20. bark — to shout
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. board — a flat piece

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