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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. degree — temperature
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cue — a hint
  11. fall — the season
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rock — music
  17. cue — for pool
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. degree — from a university
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rock — a stone
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chest — of your body

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