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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. date — the fruit
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. board — a committee
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. scale — in music
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. pit — a hole
  12. chest — a box
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bear — the animal
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. scale — size or range
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. object — to protest
  22. board — to get on
  23. patient — a sick person
  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