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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. stand — to bear
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wound — an injury
  19. board — to get on
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. board — a committee
  22. mug — a cup
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mug — a face

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