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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mark — a trace
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rest — what's left
  5. court — of law
  6. court — for sport
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. tube — the underground
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. club — for dancing
  18. rest — a break
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. club — a group
  23. tube — a container
  24. court — of a king

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