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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fall — the season
  4. rock — music
  5. land — a country
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fall — to drop
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. land — ground
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hand — in cards
  15. board — to get on
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. hand — help
  18. fall — to drop
  19. board — a committee
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. racket — for tennis

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