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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. board — a committee
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spring — of water
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. foot — a measure
  13. spring — the season
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spring — a coil
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. foot — the bottom

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