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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitch — completely
  6. board — to get on
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. deal — to handle
  19. board — a committee
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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