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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: jam · kick · shower · drill · race · toast · lash · patient

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. race — the arms race
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. drill — army training
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. race — a contest
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. drill — the tool
  14. shower — rain
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. drill — a practice
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. race — humankind
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. toast — bread
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. shower — to wash
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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