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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. land — ground
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. land — a country
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mug — a cup
  16. land — to come down
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mug — a face

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