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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. object — to protest
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wake — a trail
  7. race — humankind
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. saw — the tool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mate — a friend
  15. race — the arms race
  16. object — a thing
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bulb — for light
  21. race — a contest
  22. saw — the tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. object — an aim

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