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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. squash — to crush
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. suit — in cards
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cue — a hint
  13. suit — clothes
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cue — for pool
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pit — a hole
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pit — in a race
  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