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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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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: patient · rest · pound · trunk · squash · suit · board · spring

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spring — the season
  3. board — a committee
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. spring — a coil
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rest — a break
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pound — a weight
  13. board — to get on
  14. spring — of water
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rest — what's left
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rest — what's left
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pound — to hit hard

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