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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. deal — to handle
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ground — crushed
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. board — a committee
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ground — the earth
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stand — to bear
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. board — to get on
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. roll — a cake
  21. ground — a position
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. sharp — clever

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