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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. degree — temperature
  5. hand — help
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bulb — for light
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. degree — from a university
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — in cards
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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