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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. net — after costs
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. present — there
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. net — for catching
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. present — the time now
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. present — a gift
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. club — a group
  20. cell — in biology
  21. net — in sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. club — for golf
  24. coach — a trainer

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