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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. roll — a list
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. chest — a box
  12. key — the most important part
  13. cue — for pool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. key — in music
  20. stand — to bear
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cue — a hint
  24. roll — a cake

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