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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. can — a tin
  5. mate — to breed
  6. spell — a short time
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. spell — letters
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mate — a partner
  13. row — a line
  14. mate — a friend
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lie — to recline
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. row — to paddle
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. spell — magic

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