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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: ground · patient · drill · club · rush · calf · craft · board

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. board — a committee
  3. drill — the tool
  4. club — for dancing
  5. craft — boats
  6. club — for golf
  7. board — to get on
  8. drill — army training
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ground — the earth
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. club — a group
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. drill — a practice
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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