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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. clip — a video
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. board — to get on
  7. clip — for paper
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. net — for catching
  10. chest — of your body
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. chest — of your body
  13. net — after costs
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. net — in sport
  17. stand — to bear
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. board — a committee
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chest — a box
  23. clip — to cut
  24. cabinet — ministers

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