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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 120 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
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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: mouse · trunk · bore · patient · lash · race · game · lean

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lean — thin
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. race — the arms race
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bore — to tire
  11. race — a contest
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bore — to drill
  16. race — humankind
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lean — to bend
  24. game — a kind of play

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