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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. present — the time now
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. field — a subject
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rest — what's left
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. field — for sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — a break
  24. field — farmland

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