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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — to tire
  4. fine — all right
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. rest — what's left
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rest — a break
  10. chest — of your body
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. court — for sport
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. court — of law
  18. stock — shares
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. chest — a box
  23. court — of a king
  24. fine — high quality

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