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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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. staff — a stick
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. staff — employees
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — the time now
  14. bulb — for light
  15. present — there
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. land — ground
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. present — a gift
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bulb — for light

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