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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stand — to bear
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. drill — army training
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rule — a law
  13. board — to get on
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. board — a committee
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. board — a flat piece

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