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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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Word bank
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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: row · foot · press · board · bay · patient · lie · object

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. lie — to recline
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. board — to get on
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. board — a committee
  14. row — a line
  15. object — a thing
  16. row — to paddle
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — to protest
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. object — an aim
  23. press — a publisher
  24. row — a quarrel

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