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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
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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: bulb · patient · suit · roll · hide · present · mine · lie

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. roll — a cake
  3. mine — for digging
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. present — there
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. roll — a list
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. present — a gift
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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