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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. dip — to sink
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pit — a hole
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. branch — a division
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pit — in a race
  24. dip — to dunk

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