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

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. squash — the sport
  3. club — a group
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. club — for golf
  6. cap — a lid
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cap — of ice
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. squash — to crush
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. board — to get on
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. club — for dancing
  24. board — a committee

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