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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. prune — to trim
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rock — music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rock — a stone
  22. prune — to trim
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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