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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. net — after costs
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cap — of ice
  8. scale — size or range
  9. net — for catching
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — a hat
  20. toast — bread
  21. scale — in music
  22. net — in sport
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  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