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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. firm — steady
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — a company
  19. board — to get on
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. net — in sport
  23. firm — decided
  24. net — after costs

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