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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rule — government
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. field — farmland
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. field — a subject
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bulb — for light
  17. field — for sport
  18. tube — a container
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. rule — a law
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bowl — a dish

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