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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. season — in sport
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. season — of the year
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stock — goods
  14. track — a song
  15. stock — shares
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. pit — a hole
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pit — in a race

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