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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. land — a country
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lean — thin
  5. object — an aim
  6. game — wild animals
  7. object — a thing
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. board — to get on
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. land — ground
  12. board — a committee
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. lean — to bend
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — to protest
  18. land — to come down
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. game — a match

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