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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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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: wind · patient · kick · mark · snap · mate · lie · wave

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kick — in football
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mate — a partner
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. snap — to click
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lie — to recline
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mate — to breed
  22. wind — moving air
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mark — to pay attention

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