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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. staff — a stick
  3. track — a path
  4. board — to get on
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. board — a committee
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bore — to tire
  10. staff — employees
  11. track — a song
  12. staff — employees
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. roll — a list
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. roll — a cake
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. roll — on a roll

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