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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: fall · object · rush · patient · ball · rock · bulb · bay

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. object — an aim
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rock — a stone
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fall — the season
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a dance
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. object — a thing
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rock — music
  24. bay — a horse colour

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