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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: object · patient · toast · squash · rock · bulb · nail · march

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rock — a stone
  5. object — an aim
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. squash — to crush
  12. toast — bread
  13. object — to protest
  14. march — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. squash — the sport
  17. object — a thing
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rock — music
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. patient — a sick person

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