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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. land — ground
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. land — a country
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. land — to come down
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rest — what's left
  11. club — for golf
  12. cue — a signal
  13. club — a group
  14. cue — for pool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — the underground
  17. club — for dancing
  18. ground — a position
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rest — a break
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. tube — a container
  23. rest — what's left
  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