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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ground — a position
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. content — the amount
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bound — certain
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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