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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pop — music
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. spring — the season
  12. pop — to visit
  13. spring — of water
  14. fine — high quality
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fine — all right
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pop — soda
  23. date — the fruit
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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