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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. drill — the tool
  5. roll — a cake
  6. drill — a practice
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — an amount
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bulb — for light
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. degree — from a university
  21. drill — army training
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bulb — for light

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