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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cue — a signal
  3. scale — in music
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. charge — a price
  6. cue — for pool
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hand — help
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cue — a hint
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hand — in cards
  18. plane — a tool
  19. scale — size or range
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. charge — in control
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. scale — for weighing

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