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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bulb — for light
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. dip — to sink
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. branch — a division
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. chip — in a computer

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