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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. track — a path
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rest — a break
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. squash — the sport
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bear — the animal
  19. squash — to crush
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bear — the animal
  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