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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. march — the month
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. march — the month
  6. cue — a signal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cue — a hint
  10. saw — the tool
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. march — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. net — in sport
  20. saw — the tool
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cue — for pool
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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