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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. band — a ring
  4. field — for sport
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. field — farmland
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. band — a music group
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. field — a subject
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. patient — a sick person

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