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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. file — a document
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wind — moving air
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. file — a line of people
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. file — a tool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ruler — for measuring

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