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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rash — a series
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. spell — magic
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. net — in sport
  10. bank — of a river
  11. spell — letters
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bank — for money
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. net — after costs
  17. board — to get on
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. net — for catching
  21. bank — for money
  22. spell — a short time
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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