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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. track — a path
  2. season — of the year
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a song
  8. season — in sport
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bulb — for light
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. track — to keep track
  14. squash — to crush
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. board — to get on
  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