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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. drill — a practice
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. club — for dancing
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. club — for golf
  9. land — ground
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. club — a group
  18. board — to get on
  19. drill — the tool
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. board — a committee
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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