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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. wax — in the ear
  3. cue — a hint
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. staff — employees
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stock — goods
  11. cue — for pool
  12. vault — a safe
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. staff — a stick
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wax — to grow
  17. staff — employees
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — shares
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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