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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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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: ground · patient · track · cell · court · rock · present · bay

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. rock — a stone
  3. present — the time now
  4. ground — crushed
  5. cell — a phone
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. track — a song
  9. rock — music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. court — for sport
  13. track — a path
  14. present — there
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. court — of a king
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. present — a gift
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. court — of law

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