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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: chip · mouse · kick · patient · board · wound · degree · saw

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. chip — to eat
  4. board — to get on
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. degree — temperature
  18. board — a committee
  19. kick — in football
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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