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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. squash — the sport
  5. file — a document
  6. club — for dancing
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — to handle
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bulb — for light
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. file — a tool
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. club — for golf
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. file — a line of people
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. club — a group
  24. leaves — lets stay

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