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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. file — a document
  3. cue — a hint
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. object — to protest
  10. root — the cause
  11. object — a thing
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. object — an aim
  14. file — a tool
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. file — a line of people
  18. root — of a word

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