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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pitch — completely
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. present — the time now
  7. band — a music group
  8. rush — hurry
  9. staff — employees
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. present — a gift
  14. spell — magic
  15. present — there
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. band — a ring
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cue — a signal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cue — a hint

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