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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. drill — a practice
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. drill — army training
  7. bulb — for light
  8. degree — temperature
  9. drill — the tool
  10. degree — an amount
  11. dip — to sink
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. degree — from a university
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fork — in a road
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. dip — a sauce

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