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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 120 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. club — for golf
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mark — a grade
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. band — a ring
  10. mark — a trace
  11. file — a document
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. club — for dancing
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. club — a group
  18. file — a tool
  19. board — to get on
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. file — a line of people
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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