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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. ground — crushed
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pitch — completely
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cue — a signal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ground — the earth
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fall — the season
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bat — the animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ground — a position
  19. chip — to eat
  20. cue — a hint
  21. fall — to drop
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fall — to drop
  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