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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a great time
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a city
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. cue — a hint
  18. sharp — clever
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ball — a dance

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