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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. firm — decided
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. object — to protest
  5. firm — steady
  6. drill — army training
  7. bark — to shout
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mate — a partner
  14. object — an aim
  15. mate — to breed
  16. firm — a company
  17. kid — child
  18. pitch — completely
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. object — a thing

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