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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. scale — in music
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wound — an injury
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pop — music
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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