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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — the fish
  4. board — to get on
  5. bass — low music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. drill — a practice
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rush — hurry
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rule — a law
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. board — a committee
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rule — government

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