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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. row — a line
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rock — a stone
  7. row — to paddle
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. present — a gift
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. present — there
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rock — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. present — the time now
  18. bulb — for light

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