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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · bore · foot · rash · season · bulb · plane · patient

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. season — in sport
  7. bass — the fish
  8. season — of the year
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rash — hasty
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bass — low music
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bore — to drill
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rash — a series
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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