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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. wind — moving air
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. board — a committee
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. board — to get on
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cabinet — ministers

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