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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fine — all right
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tube — a container
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. tube — the underground
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fine — high quality
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. pit — a hole
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. wave — with your hand

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