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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. club — for golf
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — to bear
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bulb — of a plant

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