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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: board · fine · patient · pop · pit · staff · wax · deal

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pop — soda
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. staff — employees
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. board — to get on
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — high quality
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fine — all right
  18. board — a committee
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pit — a hole
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pop — music
  23. staff — employees
  24. patient — a sick person

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