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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 124 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — a price
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bass — low music
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bass — the fish
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — electricity
  11. face — to point toward
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. face — to confront
  17. field — a subject
  18. charge — in control
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. field — farmland
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. field — for sport
  24. racket — for tennis

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