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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. spell — magic
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. spell — a short time
  15. row — a line
  16. spell — letters
  17. branch — a division
  18. dip — to sink
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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