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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 124 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. land — a country
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rock — music
  7. land — to come down
  8. board — to get on
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bore — to tire
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. board — a committee
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. lean — thin
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. roll — a list
  21. bore — to drill
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rock — a stone

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