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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. scale — size or range
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cue — a signal
  5. track — a song
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cap — a hat
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cap — a lid
  18. board — a committee
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. track — a path
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cue — for pool

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