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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. suit — in cards
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. cue — a hint
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bat — the animal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. cue — a signal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. suit — to fit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. suit — clothes
  22. court — of a king
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. patient — a sick person

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