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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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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: wound · kid · nail · shower · patient · suit · bulb · leaves

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bulb — for light
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bulb — for light
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. shower — rain
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. kid — child
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. wound — an injury
  18. kid — to tease
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. shower — to wash
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. suit — to fit

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