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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. staff — a stick
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bound — certain
  6. pop — soda
  7. bound — tied together
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pop — to visit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. game — wild animals
  15. staff — employees
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. game — a match
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pop — music
  23. board — to get on
  24. staff — employees

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