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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. shower — rain
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. tube — the underground
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rest — a break
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. shower — to wash
  14. rush — hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lie — to recline
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. tube — a container
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. toast — bread
  24. tube — in a tire

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