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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ball — a great time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stock — shares
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. band — a ring
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pit — in a race
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. band — a music group
  21. stock — goods
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. hide — to keep secret

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