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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ground — crushed
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rock — music
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. present — a gift
  15. cue — for pool
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ground — a position
  19. present — there
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pop — music
  23. present — the time now
  24. cue — a hint

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