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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. leaves — lets stay

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