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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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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cue — a hint
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a great time
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ball — a dance
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stem — to come from

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