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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.

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468
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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mug — a cup
  5. tube — a container
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — to fit
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wound — an injury
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. cue — for pool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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