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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. drill — army training
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rest — what's left
  6. board — to get on
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rest — what's left
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. drill — the tool
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — to point toward
  20. board — a committee
  21. swing — music
  22. pass — a permit
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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