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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. toast — bread
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. net — after costs
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bass — the fish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. row — to paddle
  13. fork — in a road
  14. suit — in cards
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bass — low music
  19. board — to get on
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. net — in sport
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. net — for catching
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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