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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pit — in a race
  3. squash — the sport
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. club — a group
  6. last — final
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stand — to bear
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pit — a hole
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. last — to go on
  21. bulb — for light
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. last — finally
  24. foot — part of the body

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