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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mark — a trace
  5. roll — a list
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mug — a face
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — of your body
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mark — a grade

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