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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rest — what's left
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. firm — decided
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. firm — a company
  14. plane — a tool
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. spell — letters
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rest — a break
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. firm — steady
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rock — music

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