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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. board — a committee
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rule — government
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. wake — a trail
  8. branch — a division
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mug — a cup
  15. rule — a law
  16. cue — a signal
  17. board — to get on
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mug — a face
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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