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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cap — of ice
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bore — to tire
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cap — a hat
  10. court — of a king
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cap — a lid
  13. court — of law
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. swing — music
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. court — for sport
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cue — for pool
  20. swing — to play on
  21. cue — a signal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bore — to drill

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