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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 116 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: lash · mug · bore · patient · wake · court · kick · object

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. court — of a king
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wake — a trail
  10. object — to protest
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. court — of law
  13. mug — a cup
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. object — a thing
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. court — for sport
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. object — an aim

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