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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. board — a committee
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pitch — completely
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. scale — size or range
  19. board — to get on
  20. scale — in music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cap — a lid
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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