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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. club — for golf
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chest — a box
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — for sport
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. chest — of your body
  13. club — a group
  14. drill — army training
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pound — a weight
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. field — farmland
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chest — of your body

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