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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. kick — in football
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — there
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. present — the time now
  11. game — wild animals
  12. band — a ring
  13. present — a gift
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. game — a match
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. board — to get on
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. band — a music group
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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