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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. face — part of the head
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. drill — the tool
  7. spring — a coil
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fall — the season
  10. drill — army training
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bank — for money
  13. board — to get on
  14. spring — the season
  15. bank — for money
  16. board — a committee
  17. bank — of a river
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. drill — a practice
  21. face — to confront
  22. fall — to drop
  23. present — a gift
  24. spring — of water

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