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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bass — the fish
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bass — low music
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. spell — magic
  14. kick — in football
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bat — the animal
  18. season — of the year
  19. spell — letters
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — in sport
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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