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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. swing — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. chest — of your body
  8. cap — of ice
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chest — a box
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pound — a weight
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. swing — to play on
  24. lash — to lash out

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