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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. fork — in a road
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bark — to shout
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mark — a trace
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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