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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. cue — for pool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. spring — of water
  11. net — for catching
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. net — in sport
  14. spring — the season
  15. cue — a hint
  16. spring — a coil
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. net — after costs
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. march — 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