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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — a tin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pop — soda
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pop — to visit
  9. ground — a position
  10. can — a tin
  11. capital — money
  12. pop — music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fine — all right
  17. capital — a city
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fine — high quality
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. bulb — for light

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