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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cue — a hint
  5. present — there
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. present — a gift
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. present — the time now
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. board — to get on
  24. fan — a supporter

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