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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bound — obliged
  6. club — for golf
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. deal — to handle
  15. club — a group
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. shower — to wash
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. chair — a leader
  21. club — for dancing
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. board — to get on
  24. racket — a loud noise

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