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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. track — a path
  5. mug — a face
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fall — to drop
  10. date — the fruit
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fall — the season
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rest — a break
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. track — a song
  24. rest — what's left

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