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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. field — a subject
  3. land — ground
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. field — for sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pound — a weight
  10. march — the month
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. land — a country
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. march — the month
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. march — music
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. field — farmland
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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