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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 120 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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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: ruler · patient · bass · firm · lean · pit · bulb · foot

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pit — a hole
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. foot — a measure
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — thin
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — in a race
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — steady
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — to bend
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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