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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.

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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: stick · pound · rush · clip · lie · deal · patient · lash

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. clip — a video
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. clip — for paper
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. clip — to cut
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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