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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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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 · chip · clip · rest · stick · nail · board · ruler

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — for betting
  5. board — to get on
  6. clip — to cut
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. clip — for paper
  11. rest — a break
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. board — a committee
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. clip — a video
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — a monarch

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