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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. firm — steady
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. track — a song
  8. firm — a company
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. game — a match
  12. ground — the earth
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. ground — crushed
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — to get on
  19. track — to keep track
  20. game — wild animals
  21. board — a committee
  22. ground — a position
  23. track — a path
  24. patient — a sick person

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