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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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bound — certain
  8. mate — a friend
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wind — moving air
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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