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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: nail · trunk · pound · swing · pass · lash · patient · degree

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. degree — temperature
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. degree — an amount
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. degree — from a university
  24. nail — for a hammer

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