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

Word bank: board · club · patient · wind · wave · cap

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

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

Answer key

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

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