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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. staff — employees
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pitch — completely
  6. content — happy
  7. cell — in biology
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. cell — a phone
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. cue — for pool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. cue — a hint
  14. content — the amount
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — employees
  17. degree — from a university
  18. cue — a signal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. degree — an amount
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. degree — temperature
  24. racket — for tennis

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