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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. stem — to come from
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. vault — a safe
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. dip — to sink

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