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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. track — a song
  5. stand — to bear
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. board — a committee
  10. track — a path
  11. wind — moving air
  12. branch — a division
  13. board — to get on
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. cue — a signal
  19. shower — to wash
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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