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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. press — a publisher
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. board — to get on
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. rock — a stone
  20. press — to push
  21. tear — from crying
  22. press — newspapers
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fan — to cool the air

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