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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. season — in sport
  4. net — in sport
  5. cue — a signal
  6. land — to come down
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bound — certain
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — after costs
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. season — of the year
  16. stock — shares
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. land — ground
  20. stock — goods
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. land — a country
  24. mug — a face

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