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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. row — a line
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. board — a committee
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. band — a ring
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — a tool
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a music group
  22. bear — the animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. board — to get on

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