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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. capital — money
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wind — moving air
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. board — to get on
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wind — moving air
  20. board — a committee
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. rush — hurry
  24. capital — a city

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