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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: capital · object · stick · roll · patient · trunk · drill · mouse

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. capital — money
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. roll — a list
  10. capital — a city
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. drill — the tool
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. drill — a practice
  15. object — an aim
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. drill — army training
  20. object — to protest
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of a car

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