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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bulb — for light
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — a stick
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. staff — employees
  8. last — finally
  9. staff — employees
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. shower — to wash
  12. date — the fruit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. shower — rain
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. suit — clothes
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mark — a grade
  23. last — to go on
  24. mark — a trace

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