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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. board — a committee
  6. track — a path
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — to fit
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. game — wild animals
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. suit — clothes
  22. board — to get on
  23. track — a song
  24. game — a match

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