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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. firm — a company
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. firm — decided
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. firm — steady
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cabinet — ministers

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