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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — a weight
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. band — a music group
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. band — a ring
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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