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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. mug — a cup
  3. can — to be able to
  4. board — a committee
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. firm — a company
  7. cap — a hat
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cap — a lid
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. mug — a face
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. can — a tin
  16. firm — decided
  17. mug — to rob
  18. firm — steady
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — of ice
  21. row — to paddle
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. board — to get on
  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