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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: wave · patient · mate · lie · ground · spell · bulb · ruler

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mate — a partner
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spell — a short time
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mate — to breed
  11. spell — magic
  12. ground — a position
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. spell — letters
  17. mate — a friend
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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