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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. row — to paddle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. ball — a great time
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. row — a line
  14. ball — a dance
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pound — a weight
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. board — a flat piece
  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