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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. content — happy
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. content — the amount
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pit — a hole
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bore — to drill

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