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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bound — obliged
  3. board — a committee
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. prune — to trim
  6. dip — to sink
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. present — there
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. chip — to eat
  15. board — to get on
  16. chip — for betting
  17. prune — to trim
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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