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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. march — music
  3. roll — a cake
  4. march — the month
  5. plane — a tool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bore — to drill
  12. roll — a list
  13. bore — to tire
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. march — the month
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bore — gave birth

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