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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cue — a hint
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. court — of a king
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. court — for sport
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. snap — to click
  24. court — of law

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