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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cue — a signal
  3. net — in sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. present — there
  6. net — for catching
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mate — a partner
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. net — after costs
  11. chair — a leader
  12. present — a gift
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mate — to breed
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. present — the time now
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cue — a hint
  24. patient — a sick person

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