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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 120 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  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. craft — a skill
  3. ground — the earth
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ground — a position
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. field — a subject
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. craft — boats
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ground — crushed
  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