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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. face — to confront
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. object — to protest
  13. face — part of the head
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — an aim
  18. march — music
  19. object — a thing
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bass — low music
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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