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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 116 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: straw · bank · suit · object · club · board · kid · patient

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. kid — child
  3. suit — in cards
  4. board — a committee
  5. object — a thing
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bank — for money
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. club — for golf
  10. object — an aim
  11. bank — of a river
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. board — to get on
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. bank — for money
  17. object — to protest
  18. suit — clothes
  19. kid — to tease
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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