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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mug — to rob
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. spell — letters
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bound — certain
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bound — obliged
  11. kick — in football
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mug — a cup
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mug — a face
  17. bulb — for light
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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