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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: capital · lash · mug · racket · bore · patient · staff · pound

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. staff — employees
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — a stick
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. staff — employees
  11. capital — a city
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. capital — money
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mug — a face
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. capital — a big letter

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