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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. cue — a hint
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. chest — of your body
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kid — to tease
  19. wax — to grow
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. kid — child
  22. chest — a box
  23. file — a document
  24. suit — in cards

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