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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. field — a subject
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rule — a law
  6. field — farmland
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. field — for sport
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. fine — all right

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