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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. last — finally
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. last — final
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bat — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. last — to go on
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. dip — to sink
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rush — hurry

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