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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. race — humankind
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. suit — in cards
  8. season — in sport
  9. race — a contest
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wind — moving air
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wind — moving air
  23. race — the arms race
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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