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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · ball · bank · firm · hide · field · patient · bulb

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ball — a dance
  5. field — a subject
  6. bank — for money
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bank — for money
  12. field — farmland
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. field — for sport
  21. bank — of a river
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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