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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stem — to come from
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — humankind
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — hurry
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. board — a committee
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. board — to get on
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. race — the arms race
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — for spectators

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