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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bank — for money
  5. field — a subject
  6. drill — army training
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. field — for sport
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bank — of a river
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bank — for money
  20. field — farmland
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stem — a stem cell

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