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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. last — to go on
  4. can — to be able to
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. last — final
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. board — to get on
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. lean — to bend
  15. last — finally
  16. fork — in a road
  17. can — a tin
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. lean — thin
  22. can — a tin
  23. dip — to sink
  24. content — happy

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