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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.

Make a worksheet

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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. land — a country
  5. can — a tin
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. land — ground
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. key — in music
  15. rush — hurry
  16. key — for a lock
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. key — the most important part
  19. land — to come down
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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