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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — decided
  4. mark — a grade
  5. game — a match
  6. bass — the fish
  7. firm — steady
  8. spell — letters
  9. cue — for pool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. firm — a company
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bass — low music
  14. spell — magic
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. spell — a short time
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mark — a trace

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