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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lean — to bend
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — to protest
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — to breed
  14. board — a committee
  15. mate — a partner
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. object — a thing
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. object — an aim
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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