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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: lash · patient · sharp · jam · face · bear · net · bowl

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bear — the animal
  7. net — after costs
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. sharp — clever
  11. face — to confront
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. face — part of the head
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. net — in sport
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lash — to lash out

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