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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bass — low music
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kick — in football
  13. bass — the fish
  14. tube — a container
  15. game — wild animals
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. game — a match
  24. tube — the underground

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