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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bore — to drill
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. last — final
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fine — all right
  22. last — to go on
  23. board — to get on
  24. patient — a sick person

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