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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. row — a line
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wake — a trail
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — to recline
  21. key — the most important part
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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