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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tube — a container
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — to sink
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rest — a break
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pitcher — a jug

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