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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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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: rule · sharp · cue · ball · patient · dip · bowl · rush

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rule — a law
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rush — hurry
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. dip — to sink
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rule — government
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bowl — a dish

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