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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. cue — a signal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. cue — for pool
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. suit — in cards
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pass — a permit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ball — a great time
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. snap — to click
  24. calf — of the leg

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