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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. cue — a hint
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. court — of a king
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. board — a committee
  7. court — of law
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cue — a signal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — to get on
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. patient — a sick person

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