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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 116 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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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: racket · hide · lash · lie · court · last · bore · patient

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. last — final
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. last — to go on
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. court — of law
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. court — for sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. last — finally
  21. court — of a king
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bore — gave birth

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