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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. court — of a king
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cue — for pool
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. court — of law
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. court — for sport
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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