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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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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: deal · game · safe · bulb · face · stem · patient · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bulb — for light
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. game — a match
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pit — in a race
  23. game — wild animals
  24. safe — out of danger

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