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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 transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. board — to get on
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. fork — in a road
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lean — to bend
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. lean — thin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rock — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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