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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cue — a hint
  3. present — a gift
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. squash — to crush
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. squash — the sport
  9. cue — for pool
  10. tube — the underground
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. present — the time now
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. cue — a signal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. arm — part of the body
  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