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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. net — for catching
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. net — after costs
  9. object — to protest
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. net — in sport
  12. saw — the tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ball — a great time
  15. object — an aim
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. object — a thing
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bowl — a dish

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