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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. game — a match
  7. bore — to drill
  8. staff — employees
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. fork — in a road
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pitch — completely
  17. game — wild animals
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bore — to tire
  24. roll — a cake

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