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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. key — in music
  7. band — a ring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — to get on
  10. bear — the animal
  11. board — a committee
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rock — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. key — for a lock
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — a city
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a rubber band

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