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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. spring — of water
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cue — a hint
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. perch — the fish
  13. spring — the season
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cue — for pool
  22. spring — a coil
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spell — letters

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