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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 · court · rest · temple · racket · drill · patient · scale

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — what's left
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — to get on
  9. drill — army training
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rest — a break
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. drill — a practice
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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