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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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