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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. board — to get on
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mine — for digging
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — a committee
  24. bear — to put up with

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