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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. track — a path
  3. ball — a great time
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. track — a song
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ball — a dance
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. field — a subject
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — farmland
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bear — the animal

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