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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: lash · kick · foot · stock · temple · drill · patient · race

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. race — the arms race
  5. drill — army training
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — in football
  12. race — humankind
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. drill — a practice
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stock — shares
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. race — a contest
  22. stock — goods
  23. drill — the tool
  24. temple — side of the head

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