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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. scale — in music
  6. press — to push
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. saw — the tool
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pitch — completely
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. kick — in football
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — size or range

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