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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. key — in music
  3. present — the time now
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tube — the underground
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cue — a signal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. present — a gift
  16. tube — a container
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cell — a phone
  19. present — there
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cell — in biology
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pass — a permit

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