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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pit — in a race
  4. suit — clothes
  5. race — humankind
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. season — of the year
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — a contest
  19. bulb — for light
  20. season — in sport
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. suit — in cards
  24. patient — a sick person

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