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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. cue — a hint
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. firm — decided
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. present — the time now
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — there
  15. court — for sport
  16. cue — for pool
  17. court — of a king
  18. firm — a company
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cue — a signal
  21. lean — thin
  22. court — of law
  23. firm — steady
  24. safe — out of danger

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