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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rest — a break
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rest — what's left
  13. land — to come down
  14. bulb — for light
  15. land — a country
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rock — music
  20. pitch — completely
  21. tube — a container
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. land — ground
  24. tube — the underground

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