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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.

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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. present — the time now
  3. object — to protest
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. object — an aim
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stock — shares
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. present — there
  14. fall — the season
  15. stock — goods
  16. object — a thing
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. present — a gift
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rush — hurry
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fall — to drop

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