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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. squash — the sport
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. spell — a short time
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stand — to bear
  16. tube — the underground
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a hole
  21. tube — a container
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. spell — letters
  24. cue — a signal

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