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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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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. file — a document
  3. bound — tied together
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bound — certain
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. file — a tool
  16. bound — obliged
  17. chip — to eat
  18. file — a line of people
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. shower — rain
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. shower — to wash

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