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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. row — a line
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. board — to get on
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. track — a path
  16. mate — a partner
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mate — a friend
  19. row — to paddle
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. track — a song
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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