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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. present — a gift
  5. march — the month
  6. can — to be able to
  7. march — music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. firm — a company
  10. march — the month
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wind — moving air
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. can — a tin
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. present — the time now
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. cue — a hint
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. can — a tin

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