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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. plane — a tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. key — the most important part
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. deal — to handle
  22. key — in music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — an eyelash

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