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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. row — to paddle
  3. spell — a short time
  4. land — a country
  5. spell — magic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. board — to get on
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. row — a line
  11. can — a tin
  12. land — ground
  13. can — to be able to
  14. land — to come down
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. can — a tin
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. spell — letters
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. board — a committee
  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