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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. race — humankind
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. sharp — clever
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. race — a contest
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. wind — moving air
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bound — certain
  24. wind — moving air

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