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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: patient · board · toast · hand · squash · pit · fine · rock

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. hand — help
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. fine — high quality
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. squash — to crush
  17. board — to get on
  18. toast — bread
  19. rock — music
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rock — a stone
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pit — a hole
  24. squash — the sport

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