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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 · racket · cue · fall · face · mug · patient · coach

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fall — to drop
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fall — to drop
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cue — a signal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mug — to rob
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — a face
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cue — a hint
  14. face — to confront
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. face — part of the head
  18. fall — the season
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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