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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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. tube — the underground
  5. file — a document
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bark — to shout
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. file — a tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. tube — a container
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. tube — in a tire

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