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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lean — thin
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rush — hurry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stem — to come from
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rest — a break
  23. lean — to bend
  24. key — for a lock

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