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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 116 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 transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. kid — to tease
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. game — a match
  7. stand — to bear
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. game — wild animals
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. kid — child
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. shower — rain
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. shower — to wash

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