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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. scale — in music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bass — low music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cue — for pool
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. hand — help
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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