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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. can — to be able to
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. field — for sport
  8. spring — the season
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. key — the most important part
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. key — in music
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. mark — a trace
  17. spring — of water
  18. bark — to shout
  19. field — farmland
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. key — for a lock
  22. field — a subject
  23. spring — a coil
  24. mark — a grade

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