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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. object — an aim
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. drill — the tool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. object — a thing
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — in cards
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pitch — completely
  15. object — to protest
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. suit — to fit
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. drill — a practice
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. toast — bread
  24. drill — army training

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