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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wind — moving air
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. staff — employees
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mug — a cup
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. file — a document
  12. staff — employees
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. file — a line of people
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mug — a face
  20. key — the most important part
  21. staff — a stick
  22. key — in music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bulb — for light

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