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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. game — a match
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wound — an injury

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