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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — a company
  10. board — a committee
  11. kick — in football
  12. bark — to shout
  13. branch — a division
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. firm — decided
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. firm — steady
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  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