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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. foot — a measure
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. field — a subject
  13. stand — to bear
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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