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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. drill — army training
  6. club — a group
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. field — a subject
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. season — in sport
  11. field — for sport
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — bread
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. season — of the year
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. club — for golf
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. drill — the tool
  23. field — farmland
  24. season — to add flavour

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