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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. staff — a stick
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bulb — for light
  11. staff — employees
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. staff — employees
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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