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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. last — to go on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chest — of your body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. last — final
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chest — a box
  12. last — finally
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stock — goods
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rock — music
  22. stock — shares
  23. rock — a stone
  24. patient — a sick person

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