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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: object · pit · patient · suit · lash · mine · tube · spring

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. suit — clothes
  3. object — a thing
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. tube — a container
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — the season
  14. pit — a hole
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. object — to protest
  18. spring — of water
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. object — an aim
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mine — for digging
  24. tube — the underground

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