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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rule — government
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. board — a committee
  5. present — a gift
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. board — to get on
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. present — the time now
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. present — there
  24. patient — a sick person

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