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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wake — a trail
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. deal — to handle
  12. lean — to bend
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — money
  18. lean — thin
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cue — a signal
  21. capital — a city
  22. cue — a hint
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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