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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bound — obliged
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stand — to bear
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. deal — to handle

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