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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. present — the time now
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rash — a series
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rash — hasty
  21. board — a committee
  22. pass — a permit
  23. board — to get on
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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