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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. shower — to wash
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fork — in a road
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. shower — rain
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rush — hurry
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tear — to rip
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. arm — a part of something

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