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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. scale — in music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. cue — a hint
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — for money
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rest — what's left
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bank — of a river
  18. snap — to click
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bank — for money

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