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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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Word bank
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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: rash · firm · lie · scale · net · wind · patient · track

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. track — to keep track
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. track — a path
  7. rash — a series
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wind — moving air
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. firm — a company
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lie — to recline
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. firm — steady
  17. net — for catching
  18. scale — size or range
  19. firm — decided
  20. wind — moving air
  21. scale — in music
  22. track — a song
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in sport

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