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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 116 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. object — a thing
  4. drill — the tool
  5. ground — crushed
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. object — to protest
  8. ground — the earth
  9. board — to get on
  10. current — electric
  11. ground — a position
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. drill — army training
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. root — of a word
  17. current — happening now
  18. object — an aim
  19. current — of water
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. root — the cause
  23. board — a committee
  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