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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bulb — for light
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. object — a thing
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. row — a line
  14. object — an aim
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. object — to protest
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bulb — for light
  24. perch — the fish

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