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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. 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. row — to paddle
  2. spell — letters
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. spell — a short time
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. content — the amount
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. content — happy
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. spell — magic
  24. 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