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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — a position
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. sharp — clever
  10. track — a path
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ground — the earth
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. object — to protest
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. object — a thing
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. ground — crushed

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