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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 120 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. fine — high quality
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a committee
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. chip — for betting
  10. content — the amount
  11. chip — to eat
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. club — a group
  14. tube — the underground
  15. content — happy
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. board — to get on
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. patient — a sick person
  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