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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mug — a cup
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rock — music
  6. season — in sport
  7. last — final
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. perch — the fish
  13. season — of the year
  14. mug — a face
  15. last — finally
  16. pit — a hole
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mug — to rob
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. last — to go on

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