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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. squash — the sport
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. squash — to crush
  8. club — a group
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. content — the amount
  13. club — for dancing
  14. content — happy
  15. branch — a division
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. club — for golf
  24. pitch — completely

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