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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: hide · mine · staff · ball · stick · charge · cue · patient

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. staff — a stick
  3. charge — a price
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. staff — employees
  6. cue — a hint
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — employees
  9. charge — in control
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. ball — a great time
  16. charge — electricity
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ball — a dance

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