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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: cabinet · mouse · patient · ground · wind · cue · perch · fan

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cue — for pool
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ground — the earth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ground — a position
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cue — a hint

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