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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rule — government
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — in biology
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rule — a law
  19. lean — thin
  20. cue — for pool
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cell — a phone
  24. lean — to rest against

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