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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 120 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rest — a break
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kick — in football
  6. board — to get on
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. snap — to click
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. rest — what's left
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — a committee
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rest — what's left
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kick — a thrill

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