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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. firm — steady
  5. board — to get on
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. firm — decided
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. firm — a company
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. press — to push
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mine — for digging
  18. board — a committee
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — to drill
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wake — a trail

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