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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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. drill — army training
  3. board — a committee
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. drill — a practice
  9. lean — to bend
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — to protest
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. board — to get on
  18. object — a thing
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. object — an aim
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. lean — thin
  24. drill — the tool

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