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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
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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: rest · patient · ball · trunk · rash · content · rock · deal

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rash — a series
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. deal — to handle
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rest — a break
  9. rock — a stone
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rock — music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. content — happy
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. content — the amount

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