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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — a law
  6. fall — the season
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. swing — music
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cue — a signal
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — to play on
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ball — a round shape

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