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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. deal — to handle
  3. field — a subject
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. mate — a partner
  15. field — farmland
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. key — in music
  18. board — a committee
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. board — to get on
  21. mate — a friend
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mate — to breed

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