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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 · rule · patient · deal · bass · nail · bat · charge

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rule — a law
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bass — low music
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. board — a committee
  14. bass — the fish
  15. charge — a price
  16. bat — the animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. charge — electricity
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. rule — government
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rule — to rule out

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