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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. court — for sport
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. spell — letters
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cue — a signal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. court — of a king
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. court — of law
  15. swing — to play on
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cue — a hint
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cue — for pool
  21. swing — in golf
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. spell — magic
  24. swing — music

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