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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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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. lie — to recline
  4. degree — temperature
  5. firm — steady
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. degree — from a university
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rest — a break
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rush — hurry
  21. snap — to click
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — decided

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