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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.

Make a worksheet

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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. spell — magic
  5. field — for sport
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bark — to shout
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. field — farmland
  13. suit — in cards
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. field — a subject
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. present — the time now
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. suit — to fit
  22. present — a gift
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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