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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. tube — the underground
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. net — after costs
  13. board — to get on
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. net — for catching
  19. board — a committee
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. net — in sport
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fan — a supporter

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