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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. charge — in control
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. board — a committee
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. charge — a price
  15. branch — a division
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rock — music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. board — to get on
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cabinet — ministers

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