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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: squash · rest · object · patient · snap · arm · bark · wave

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. object — to protest
  4. squash — the sport
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. rest — what's left
  11. object — an aim
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rest — a break
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rest — what's left
  21. object — a thing
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. arm — part of the body

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