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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. degree — temperature
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. degree — an amount
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cue — a hint
  11. plane — a tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. degree — from a university
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cabinet — ministers

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