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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. current — electric
  3. board — to get on
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. current — happening now
  7. board — a committee
  8. rock — a stone
  9. current — of water
  10. deal — to handle
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. kick — in football
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rock — music
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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