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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cue — for pool

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