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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. club — a group
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — the month
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. march — music
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bulb — for light
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. spring — of water
  16. club — for dancing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. saw — the tool
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. saw — the tool
  21. club — for golf
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. march — the month
  24. leaves — lets stay

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