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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. chest — a box
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — in cards
  6. track — a path
  7. race — a contest
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. suit — clothes
  10. race — the arms race
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. game — wild animals
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. track — a song
  16. race — humankind
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. chest — of your body
  22. suit — to fit
  23. game — a match
  24. chest — of your body

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