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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stem — to come from
  7. cap — a lid
  8. current — of water
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lean — to bend
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ball — a dance
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. cap — of ice

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