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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · hide · swing · pound · patient · rest

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. rest — what's left
  3. swing — music
  4. pound — a weight
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. swing — to play on
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rest — a break
  11. race — humankind
  12. rest — what's left
  13. swing — in golf
  14. race — the arms race
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. race — a contest

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