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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. race — humankind
  13. ball — a great time
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — to bear
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. season — in sport
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. season — of the year
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. deal — an agreement

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