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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. band — a ring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wound — an injury
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rush — hurry
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. band — a music group

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