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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. ground — a position
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ground — crushed
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. press — to push
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ground — the earth
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cue — a signal
  18. board — a committee
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. press — newspapers

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