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

Word bank: suit · game · bulb · drill · wake · patient · cold · last

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wake — a trail
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. cold — an illness
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. suit — to fit
  14. drill — army training
  15. game — a match
  16. last — finally
  17. cold — not warm
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. last — final
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. last — to go on

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