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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — to bend
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lean — thin
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stock — shares
  15. staff — employees
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bound — certain
  23. staff — employees
  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