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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. tube — the underground
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bulb — for light
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mine — for digging
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tube — a container
  16. present — there
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill

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