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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fine — high quality
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. present — the time now
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. prune — to trim
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. present — a gift
  23. ball — a dance
  24. present — there

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