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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rest — a break
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cap — a hat
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pound — to hit hard

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