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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — to drill
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bark — to shout
  10. spring — of water
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. spring — a coil
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bore — to tire
  23. spring — the season
  24. sharp — clever

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