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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — in golf
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bass — the fish
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bank — for money
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — music
  15. board — a committee
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bass — low music
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stand — to bear
  23. board — to get on
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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