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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. can — to be able to
  3. board — to get on
  4. can — a tin
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cue — for pool
  12. scale — size or range
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cue — a hint
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. squash — the sport
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. can — a tin
  20. squash — to crush
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. scale — in music
  23. patient — a sick person
  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