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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pop — soda
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pop — music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bear — the animal
  14. track — a song
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. track — a path
  22. bulb — for light
  23. date — on the calendar
  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