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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.

Words on the sheet
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: plane · game · bay · bulb · rest · jam · patient · rash

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rest — a break
  5. plane — a tool
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. game — a match
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — a series
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. rest — what's left

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