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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — the arms race
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ground — crushed
  14. cue — for pool
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. cue — a hint
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — a contest
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pass — a permit

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