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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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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: chip · lash · mouse · lie · mine · patient · rest · staff

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. staff — a stick
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. chip — to eat
  7. staff — employees
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. staff — employees

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