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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.

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: dip · patient · nail · lie · net · club · toast · tube

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. club — a group
  7. lie — to recline
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. net — after costs
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. club — for golf
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. dip — to sink
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. club — for dancing
  23. toast — bread
  24. tube — the underground

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