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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. board — to get on
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. shower — rain
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. prune — to trim
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. deal — to handle
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. shower — to wash
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fan — a supporter

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