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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. snap — to click
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. board — a committee
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — to get on
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. drill — army training
  23. ball — a dance
  24. patient — a sick person

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