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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — shares
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stock — goods
  14. face — to confront
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. tube — a container
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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