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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. field — farmland
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. object — to protest
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. object — an aim
  11. rush — hurry
  12. object — a thing
  13. bark — to shout
  14. field — a subject
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mug — a face
  18. field — for sport
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. wind — moving air

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