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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. board — to get on
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rock — music
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rock — a stone
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chair — a leader

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