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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bulb — for light
  3. face — to confront
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mark — a trace
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. face — to point toward
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wound — an injury
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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