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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ground — a position
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. chip — for betting
  9. current — happening now
  10. ground — the earth
  11. plane — a tool
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. current — of water
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. current — electric
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. chip — to eat
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — a cake
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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