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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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. board — to get on
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pit — in a race
  11. last — finally
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. ball — a dance
  15. board — a committee
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. tube — a container
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. last — final
  22. tube — the underground
  23. last — to go on
  24. board — a flat piece

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