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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. track — a song
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. chair — a leader
  5. band — a music group
  6. cue — for pool
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bank — for money
  11. mug — a cup
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. mug — a face
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bank — for money
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. mug — to rob
  23. band — a ring
  24. bank — of a river

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