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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. net — after costs
  3. cell — in biology
  4. rock — a stone
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ground — the earth
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — a phone
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. drill — army training
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — music
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. net — in sport
  17. drill — a practice
  18. net — for catching
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ground — a position
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ground — crushed

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