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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 · object · field · racket · cabinet · arm · patient · stick

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. field — farmland
  8. object — to protest
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. object — an aim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. object — a thing
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. field — a subject
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. field — for sport
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. arm — a part of something

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