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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 120 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rash — hasty
  3. cap — of ice
  4. club — for golf
  5. cue — for pool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bank — of a river
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bank — for money
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. club — a group
  17. rash — a series
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bank — for money
  20. cap — a lid
  21. foot — a measure
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cue — a hint
  24. hand — help

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