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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — to visit
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ball — a dance
  8. field — for sport
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. patient — a sick person
  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