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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spell — letters
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bulb — for light
  6. perch — the fish
  7. suit — to fit
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hand — in cards
  12. spell — a short time
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — in cards
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. spell — magic
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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