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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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. file — a tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. file — a document
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — in cards
  8. present — the time now
  9. wound — an injury
  10. present — a gift
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a ring
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wound — an injury
  22. file — a line of people
  23. present — there
  24. rush — a thrill

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