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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. board — to get on
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cap — of ice
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. present — a gift
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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