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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. row — to paddle
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wound — an injury
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. row — a line
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stand — to bear
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. cell — in biology
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wound — an injury
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stand — on your feet

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