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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. field — a subject
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chair — a leader
  4. suit — clothes
  5. field — farmland
  6. content — the amount
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. charge — in control
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. content — happy
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. charge — a price
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. field — for sport
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. charge — electricity
  23. suit — in cards
  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