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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: arm · lean · ball · bark · last · patient · rush · suit

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ball — a great time
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lean — thin
  9. last — final
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. last — finally
  15. suit — in cards
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — to fit
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. last — to go on

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