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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fork — in a road
  8. track — a song
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bat — the animal
  11. track — a path
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cue — a hint
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. saw — the tool

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