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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fine — high quality
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mate — a friend
  7. board — to get on
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fine — all right
  10. mate — to breed
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mate — a partner
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ground — a position
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — crushed
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. board — a committee
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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