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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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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — to get on
  4. drill — the tool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bulb — for light
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bulb — of a plant

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