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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · charge · lean · racket · wound · nail · straw · board

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. charge — a price
  9. lean — thin
  10. board — a committee
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lean — to bend
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wound — an injury

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