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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 116 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: land · nail · patient · charge · board · bulb · bore · field

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. field — for sport
  4. charge — a price
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. board — a committee
  7. charge — electricity
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. field — farmland
  12. land — ground
  13. field — a subject
  14. land — a country
  15. bore — to drill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. land — to come down
  21. charge — in control
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — to get on
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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