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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. board — a committee
  5. track — a song
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stem — to come from
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. board — to get on
  13. lean — to bend
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — a path
  18. lean — thin
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. chip — to eat
  21. track — to keep track
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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