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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. net — for catching
  3. board — to get on
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. press — a publisher
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. board — a committee
  9. staff — a stick
  10. net — in sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. press — to push
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. spell — magic
  15. press — newspapers
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. net — after costs
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. staff — employees
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. spell — a short time
  23. sharp — clever
  24. safe — out of danger

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