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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 116 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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. field — farmland
  5. squash — to crush
  6. field — for sport
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. squash — the sport
  12. plane — a tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. vault — a safe
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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