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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. board — to get on
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. vault — a safe
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. swing — music
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bound — tied together
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. swing — to play on
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting

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