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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bore — to tire
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cue — a hint
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. cue — for pool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. court — of a king
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stand — to bear
  23. court — of law
  24. mouse — 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