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

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. season — of the year
  3. rash — a series
  4. pit — a hole
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rest — what's left
  15. season — in sport
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rest — a break
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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