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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
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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: wave · trunk · net · foot · patient · cue · mug · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. net — for catching
  6. cue — a hint
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mug — a cup
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. foot — a measure
  15. net — after costs
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. net — in sport
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mug — a face
  21. pop — to visit
  22. cue — a signal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pop — soda

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