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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · staff · swing · patient · pit · ruler

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. staff — employees
  4. pit — a hole
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cue — a signal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pit — in a race
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. swing — in golf
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. staff — employees
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. swing — music

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