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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. snap — to click
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cue — a signal
  9. spring — the season
  10. spell — a short time
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. spell — magic
  13. spring — of water
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rush — hurry
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. spell — letters
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pound — a weight

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