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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rash — a series
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. tear — from crying
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bulb — for light
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. tear — to rip
  13. track — a song
  14. staff — a stick
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. track — a path
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. rash — hasty
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. tear — from crying

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