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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mine — for digging
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bank — for money
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. toast — bread
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cap — of ice
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. row — a line
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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