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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: patient · bulb · stick · lean · rule · bowl · content · plane

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. content — the amount
  3. lean — thin
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rule — a law
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. content — happy
  15. lean — to bend
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bowl — a football final
  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