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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. land — ground
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. land — a country
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pound — a weight
  18. board — to get on
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. board — a committee
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. straw — a straw man

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