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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
468
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: firm · net · chip · wave · ground · calf · patient · board

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. board — to get on
  3. ground — the earth
  4. chip — for betting
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a committee
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. firm — decided
  10. net — in sport
  11. chip — to eat
  12. net — for catching
  13. firm — a company
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. net — after costs
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. firm — steady
  21. ground — a position
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. ground — crushed
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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