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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. board — to get on
  3. spring — a coil
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. board — a committee
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spring — of water
  15. stock — shares
  16. mark — a trace
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — goods
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. spring — the season
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. nail — for a hammer

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