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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pit — a hole
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. object — a thing
  6. firm — steady
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — a company
  10. board — a committee
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. saw — the tool
  13. row — a line
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. row — to paddle
  16. firm — decided
  17. object — an aim
  18. pit — in a race
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. board — to get on
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. object — to protest
  24. row — a quarrel

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