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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. lie — to recline
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lean — thin
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stand — to bear
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lie — an untruth

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