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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bulb — for light
  3. root — of a plant
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pit — in a race
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pit — a hole
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mate — a partner
  12. root — of a word
  13. mug — a face
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mug — to rob
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mate — to breed
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. drill — army training
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stand — to bear
  24. root — the cause

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