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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 · mug · nail · wound · kid · pit · bowl · patient

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mug — to rob
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. kid — to tease
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pit — in a race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mug — a face
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. kid — child
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mug — a cup

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