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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. branch — a division
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wound — an injury
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. board — a committee
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spell — magic
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. spell — letters
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wound — an injury
  24. board — to get on

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