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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ground — a position
  6. present — there
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bulb — for light
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — a trail
  13. snap — to click
  14. shower — rain
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. present — the time now
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. present — a gift
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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