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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bulb — for light
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. roll — a list
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bank — for money
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bulb — for light
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bank — of a river
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bank — for money
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pit — in a race

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