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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pound — a weight
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. kick — in football
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. board — a committee
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. tube — a container
  24. board — to get on

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