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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. date — the fruit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. current — electric
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. bulb — for light
  15. current — happening now
  16. press — newspapers
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. current — of water
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bulb — for light

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