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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 120 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mug — a face
  3. lean — to bend
  4. row — a line
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lean — thin
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lean — to rest against

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