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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: lie · season · deal · saw · current · patient · lash · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — to handle
  7. season — in sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. season — of the year
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. current — of water
  23. saw — the tool
  24. current — electric

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