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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 116 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fall — to drop
  3. track — a song
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. pit — in a race
  9. staff — employees
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. track — a path
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fall — the season
  18. pit — a hole
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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