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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. field — a subject
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. field — farmland
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. object — an aim
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. drill — a practice
  11. object — to protest
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. cap — a hat
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — army training
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. cap — a lid
  20. drill — the tool
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. field — for sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chair — a leader

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