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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. field — farmland
  4. lie — to recline
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. field — for sport
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. field — a subject
  19. game — wild animals
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. suit — in cards

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