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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. scale — size or range
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. scale — in music
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. field — for sport
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. current — electric
  16. content — happy
  17. content — the amount
  18. foot — a measure
  19. field — farmland
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. current — happening now
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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