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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 120 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: calf · drill · cue · patient · mark · board · chair · club

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. club — for golf
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. cue — for pool
  9. board — a committee
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. club — for dancing
  14. drill — army training
  15. board — to get on
  16. chair — a leader
  17. cue — a hint
  18. club — a group
  19. drill — the tool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. drill — a practice

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