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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. race — the arms race
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. scale — in music
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. game — wild animals
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. scale — size or range
  14. game — a match
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. race — a contest
  18. object — an aim
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. race — humankind
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. squash — to crush
  23. dip — to sink
  24. squash — the sport

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