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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bat — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. ball — a dance
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. drill — army training
  16. rest — what's left
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rest — a break
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bat — for baseball

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