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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. scale — in music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bulb — for light
  12. dip — to sink
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. row — a line
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bulb — of a plant

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