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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — a break
  3. bore — to tire
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. shower — rain
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. court — of a king
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. court — of law
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. saw — the tool
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rest — what's left
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bass — the fish
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. court — for sport

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