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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. band — a ring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. field — farmland
  8. bulb — for light
  9. band — a music group
  10. field — a subject
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. field — for sport
  19. hand — help
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bulb — for light
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. band — a rubber band

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