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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — all right
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. present — there
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. swing — to play on
  21. fine — high quality
  22. swing — music
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — in traffic

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