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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: key · lash · stick · season · patient · mouse · mark · rock

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. season — in sport
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. season — of the year
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mark — a trace
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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