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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 124 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bear — the animal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. snap — to click
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pit — a hole
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pit — in a race
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. patient — a sick person

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