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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cue — a hint
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. branch — a division
  22. cue — a signal
  23. chair — a leader
  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