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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. field — a subject
  5. suit — clothes
  6. staff — employees
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cap — a lid
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cap — a hat
  13. staff — employees
  14. cap — of ice
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. bound — certain
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bound — tied together
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. suit — to fit
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bound — obliged

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