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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fine — all right
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bore — to drill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. club — for golf
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. board — a committee
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mate — to breed
  19. board — to get on
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hand — help

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