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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. chair — a leader
  5. field — farmland
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. charge — in control
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bulb — for light
  10. field — a subject
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mark — a grade
  14. charge — electricity
  15. field — for sport
  16. charge — a price
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mark — to pay attention

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