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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. fine — all right
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. firm — decided
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. season — in sport
  18. spell — letters
  19. pop — to visit
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. fine — high quality
  23. spell — magic
  24. season — of the year

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