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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cell — in biology
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. spell — magic
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. saw — the tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. board — a committee
  17. spell — letters
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cell — a phone
  24. board — to get on

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