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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bound — certain
  7. cap — a lid
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cue — for pool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. cap — a hat
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mug — to rob
  16. shower — rain
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cue — a hint
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — to wash
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bowl — a dish

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