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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. track — a path
  5. degree — from a university
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stock — shares
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. track — a song
  12. pass — a permit
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. snap — to click
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fork — in a road
  19. stock — goods
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. degree — temperature

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