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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: arm · bulb · staff · rule · deal · rest · patient · pit

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — a break
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. staff — employees
  8. rule — government
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pit — a hole
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rule — a law
  17. bulb — for light
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. staff — employees
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pit — in a race
  24. arm — part of the body

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