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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. staff — employees
  4. lie — to recline
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a committee
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. staff — a stick
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. perch — the fish
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. board — to get on
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — employees
  21. tube — a container
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. deal — to handle
  24. racket — for tennis

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