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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. board — to get on
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cap — a lid
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cap — a hat
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lie — to recline
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. board — a committee
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lie — an untruth

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