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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cue — a hint
  6. season — of the year
  7. scale — in music
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. scale — size or range
  10. squash — to crush
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rash — hasty
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. season — in sport
  16. squash — the sport
  17. cue — a signal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rash — a series
  22. cue — for pool
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. deal — a big deal

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