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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. ground — crushed
  11. can — a tin
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. board — to get on
  14. ground — a position
  15. can — a tin
  16. pit — a hole
  17. board — a committee
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bat — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ball — a great time

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