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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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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 · trunk · toast · fine · chip · calf · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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 — calm and waiting
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. board — to get on
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. chip — for betting
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. court — for sport
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. toast — bread
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. court — of a king
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. court — of law
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. board — a committee
  22. fine — all right
  23. trunk — of a car
  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