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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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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. drill — the tool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wax — to grow
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. net — for catching
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. drill — a practice
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wax — in the ear

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