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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: board · club · mug · patient · arm · object · race · foot

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. board — a committee
  4. foot — a measure
  5. board — to get on
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. race — a contest
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mug — to rob
  10. race — humankind
  11. club — a group
  12. object — an aim
  13. mug — a face
  14. object — a thing
  15. mug — a cup
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. race — the arms race
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. club — for golf
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. object — to protest

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