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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 120 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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. ground — a position
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ground — the earth
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ground — crushed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cue — a hint
  12. band — a music group
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cue — a signal
  15. firm — a company
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cold — not warm
  19. cap — a lid
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. cap — a hat
  24. foot — a measure

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