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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. foot — a measure
  4. cue — for pool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cue — a hint
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. dip — to sink
  24. tear — from crying

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