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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. board — to get on
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. drill — army training
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pop — soda
  15. board — a committee
  16. bark — to shout
  17. foot — a measure
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rush — hurry
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. drill — the tool

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