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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. scale — in music
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bore — to drill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ground — a position
  10. foot — a measure
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. stock — shares
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ground — crushed
  23. stock — goods
  24. nail — on a finger

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