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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. drill — the tool
  11. tube — the underground
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bore — to drill
  16. tube — a container
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bore — to tire
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. kid — child

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