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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cue — a signal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cue — for pool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. fine — all right
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lean — thin
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lean — to bend
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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