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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.

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: game · fine · nail · shower · chair · club · board · pound

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. game — wild animals
  3. shower — to wash
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — to get on
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — a weight
  13. board — a committee
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a leader
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. shower — rain
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — for golf
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. game — a match

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