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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  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. cell — in a prison
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. club — for golf
  4. pop — music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — a phone
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. club — for dancing
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pop — soda
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. file — a line of people
  16. club — a group
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. file — a document
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. file — a tool
  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