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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: toast · kick · cap · rest · wake · patient

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rest — a break
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cap — of ice
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — in football
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cap — a lid
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cap — a hat
  17. toast — bread
  18. rest — what's left

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