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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. board — to get on
  4. band — a music group
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — to fit
  8. board — a committee
  9. game — wild animals
  10. suit — in cards
  11. band — a ring
  12. mate — to breed
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stand — to bear
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. object — to protest
  18. suit — clothes
  19. object — a thing
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. mate — a friend
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. game — a match
  24. object — an aim

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