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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. perch — the fish
  3. board — to get on
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. can — to be able to
  8. court — of a king
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — a committee
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pound — a weight
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. court — of law
  23. pit — a hole
  24. court — for sport

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