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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. key — for a lock
  3. board — a committee
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stem — to come from
  6. charge — a price
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — in control
  11. key — in music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bass — the fish
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bass — low music

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