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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. key — in music
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. vault — a safe
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. key — for a lock
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. cell — a phone
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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