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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. cue — for pool
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. current — of water
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rest — a break
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. spring — of water
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. current — electric
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cap — a hat
  15. current — happening now
  16. cap — of ice
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. spring — a coil
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spring — the season
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cap — a lid
  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