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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. kick — in football
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bulb — for light
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. net — in sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. net — after costs
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bark — to shout
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. net — for catching

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