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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. object — an aim
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. season — of the year
  9. pit — a hole
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. object — a thing
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. object — to protest
  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