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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pit — a hole
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. face — part of the head
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. face — to confront
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. plane — a tool

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