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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. track — a path
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. hand — help
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. hand — in cards
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. track — a song
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mine — for digging
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bass — low music
  22. track — to keep track
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. suit — in cards

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