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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. roll — a list
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rock — a stone
  13. object — to protest
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. object — a thing
  16. board — a committee
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rock — music
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. object — an aim

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