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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. cue — a hint
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. ball — a dance
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. club — a group
  9. deal — to handle
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. court — for sport
  13. cue — for pool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cue — a signal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stock — goods
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stock — shares

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