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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tear — to rip
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cue — for pool
  11. staff — employees
  12. tear — from crying
  13. board — to get on
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. staff — a stick
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cue — a hint
  21. staff — employees
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pound — a weight
  24. tear — from crying

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