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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 116 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: patient · key · scale · racket · board · wind · straw · rule

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rule — government
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rule — a law
  8. board — to get on
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. key — in music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. wind — moving air
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wind — moving air
  22. key — the most important part
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. racket — for tennis

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