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

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. face — to point toward
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. face — to confront
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cue — a hint
  15. face — part of the head
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lie — to recline
  18. cue — for pool

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