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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I'll be taking 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. patient — a sick person
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cue — a signal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stand — to bear
  9. scale — in music
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. tube — a container
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cue — for pool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pit — a hole
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. tube — the underground
  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