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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: saw · nail · jam · pound · patient · leaves · board · rash

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. saw — the tool
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. rash — a series
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. board — a committee
  15. rash — hasty
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pound — to hit hard

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