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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. suit — to fit
  8. board — to get on
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bat — the animal
  13. track — a path
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. board — a committee
  18. plane — a tool
  19. track — to keep track
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. suit — in cards
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. suit — clothes

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