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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bank — for money
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cell — a phone
  7. capital — money
  8. cell — in biology
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bank — for money
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. cue — a hint
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. capital — a city

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