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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. court — of a king
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. field — for sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fine — high quality
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. field — a subject
  14. bark — to shout
  15. court — for sport
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. court — of law
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bore — to drill
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bore — to tire
  22. foot — a measure
  23. field — farmland
  24. bark — of a tree

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