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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mark — a trace
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chest — a box
  7. bank — for money
  8. chest — of your body
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. game — wild animals
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bank — for money
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. mark — a grade
  15. game — a match
  16. tube — the underground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chest — of your body
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bank — of a river
  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