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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: bound · nail · patient · trunk · racket · pit · pass · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. field — a subject
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. field — farmland
  11. pit — a hole
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bound — certain
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pit — in a race
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pass — to succeed

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