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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cue — for pool
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mate — a partner
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. drill — army training
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. scale — in music
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. roll — a cake
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cue — a hint
  22. drill — a practice
  23. roll — a list
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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