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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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 — calm and waiting
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pop — soda
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — magic
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bear — the animal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mark — a trace
  16. spell — letters
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pop — music
  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