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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: key · pound · racket · patient · trunk · board · cell · bank

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. key — the most important part
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cell — a phone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. board — to get on
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cell — in biology
  20. key — for a lock
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pound — a weight

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