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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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a ring
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. track — a song
  6. lean — thin
  7. board — a committee
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. track — to keep track
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. track — a path
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. board — to get on
  18. band — a music group
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fine — all right
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fine — high quality
  24. leaves — of a tree

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