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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. cue — for pool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. band — a music group
  6. kick — in football
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cue — a hint
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. band — a ring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cue — a signal
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lie — to recline
  23. chair — a leader
  24. kick — with a 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