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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: pound · pit · mouse · board · mark · swing · patient · face

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. swing — music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mark — a grade
  7. face — to confront
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. board — to get on
  17. face — to point toward
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. face — part of the head

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