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

Word bank: cue · wound · board · craft · rest · game · pitch · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — what's left
  3. board — a committee
  4. cue — a signal
  5. game — a match
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wound — an injury
  8. craft — boats
  9. rest — what's left
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. pitch — completely
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wound — an injury
  17. board — to get on
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. rest — a break
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. game — wild animals
  24. 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