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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. snap — to click
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. ground — a position
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — a hole
  16. board — to get on
  17. ground — crushed
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — in a race
  23. board — a committee
  24. scale — in music

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