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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · present · patient · fine · cold · lash · shower · suit

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cold — an illness
  3. present — there
  4. suit — in cards
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. present — the time now
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cold — not warm
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rash — hasty
  12. fine — all right
  13. rash — a series
  14. suit — clothes
  15. present — a gift
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. shower — rain
  18. fine — high quality
  19. shower — to wash
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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