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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. track — a song
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. field — farmland
  5. net — after costs
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. track — to keep track
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. kick — in football
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. deal — to handle
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. net — in sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. track — a path
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. net — for catching
  24. patient — a sick person

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