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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. track — a song
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — for catching
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. board — to get on
  15. track — a path
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. net — after costs
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. suit — in cards
  22. board — a committee
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mouse — the animal

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