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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. content — happy
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. content — the amount
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pop — soda
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bound — certain
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bound — obliged

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