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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. shower — to wash
  4. board — to get on
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. shower — rain
  7. rest — what's left
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. board — a committee
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bore — to drill
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. bore — to tire
  20. track — a path
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rest — a break
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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