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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: patient · fine · bay · cell · tear · dip · perch · board

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. tear — to rip
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. board — a committee
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. dip — to sink
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cell — a phone
  12. board — to get on
  13. perch — the fish
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fine — high quality
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. tear — from crying
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fine — all right

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