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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — a tin
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. can — a tin
  8. bat — the animal
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fine — high quality
  11. saw — the tool
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. fine — all right
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. can — to be able to
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. content — happy
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. ball — a great time

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