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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. track — to keep track
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. field — a subject
  5. track — a path
  6. present — a gift
  7. foot — a measure
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. field — farmland
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. current — electric
  14. field — for sport
  15. current — of water
  16. fall — to drop
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. track — a song
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. current — happening now
  23. perch — the fish
  24. foot — the bottom

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