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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ball — a dance
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. root — of a word
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. board — to get on
  16. root — the cause
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. board — a committee
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ball — a great time
  22. root — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bark — to shout

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