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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · pit · board · squash · foot · present · patient · bass

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. present — a gift
  5. board — to get on
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bass — the fish
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. present — there
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. race — a contest
  15. present — the time now
  16. race — humankind
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bass — low music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pit — in a race
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. board — a committee

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