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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ball — a great time
  4. craft — boats
  5. firm — steady
  6. land — a country
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ground — crushed
  15. land — ground
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. bulb — for light
  20. land — to come down
  21. ground — the earth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ground — a position

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