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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pop — to visit
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pop — music
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pop — soda
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. race — a contest
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wax — to grow
  20. race — the arms race
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. race — humankind
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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