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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.

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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. degree — an amount
  12. squash — the sport
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. degree — temperature
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. squash — to crush

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