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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 124 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mark — a grade
  3. race — humankind
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mark — a trace
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. row — to paddle
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. race — the arms race
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. race — a contest
  20. lean — thin
  21. row — a line
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. racket — for tennis

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