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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cap — a hat
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. board — a committee
  9. snap — to click
  10. cap — a lid
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. board — to get on
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — of law
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. court — for sport
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cue — a hint
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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