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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 120 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: fine · kick · pass · patient · arm · rash · row · land

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rash — a series
  6. row — to paddle
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. land — to come down
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. kick — in football
  12. fine — high quality
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rash — hasty
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fine — all right
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. land — ground
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. land — a country
  21. row — a line
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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