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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. drill — army training
  4. chair — a leader
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. drill — the tool
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pound — a weight
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bulb — for light
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. leaves — to go away
  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