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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 120 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. board — a committee
  3. squash — the sport
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. squash — to crush
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stock — shares
  11. stem — to come from
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stock — goods
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. board — to get on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. sharp — clever

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