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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. file — a tool
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitch — completely
  14. file — a document
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cell — in biology
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. file — a line of people

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