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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. game — wild animals
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stand — to bear
  10. board — to get on
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. board — a committee
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. roll — a cake
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. game — a match
  24. temple — a place of worship

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