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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pass — a permit
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. board — to get on
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. board — a committee
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. dip — to sink
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. net — for catching
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. net — after costs
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. net — in sport
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. board — a flat piece

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