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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. net — for catching
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. club — for dancing
  5. board — to get on
  6. current — of water
  7. rule — government
  8. club — a group
  9. net — in sport
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rule — a law
  19. board — a committee
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. club — for golf
  23. net — after costs
  24. arm — part of the body

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