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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.

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: mate · nail · wave · racket · rash · drill · patient · lean

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rash — a series
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. mate — to breed
  11. drill — army training
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mate — a partner
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lean — thin
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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