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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. content — happy
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. last — to go on
  11. content — the amount
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pass — a permit
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. last — final
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. last — finally

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