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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rule — a law
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fine — all right
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rule — government
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lash — an eyelash

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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