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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bore — to drill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cue — a signal
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cue — for pool
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kick — in football
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. patient — a sick person

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