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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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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: club · patient · foot · cue · stand · charge · squash · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pop — soda
  7. club — for dancing
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. club — for golf
  10. foot — a measure
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. charge — a price
  13. pop — music
  14. squash — the sport
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. charge — in control
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. club — a group
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stand — to bear
  24. patient — a sick person

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