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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. file — a tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mate — a partner
  13. swing — to play on
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a document
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. file — a line of people
  21. swing — music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rest — a break

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