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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lean — thin
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pop — music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cue — a hint
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cue — for pool

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