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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. net — after costs
  4. can — a tin
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bore — to drill
  9. net — in sport
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. board — to get on
  15. chest — of your body
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. board — a committee
  18. net — for catching
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bore — to tire
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chest — a box
  24. bore — gave birth

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