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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 116 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rash — hasty
  3. net — for catching
  4. spell — letters
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cue — for pool
  7. firm — decided
  8. spell — magic
  9. firm — steady
  10. bound — certain
  11. net — after costs
  12. cue — a signal
  13. firm — a company
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rash — a series
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cue — a hint
  23. spell — a short time
  24. board — a committee

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