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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cap — a lid
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cue — for pool
  10. game — a match
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — wild animals
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cap — a hat

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