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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: spring · board · cabinet · cue · mouse · patient · tube · track

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. track — a path
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — a container
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. board — a committee
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — the underground
  17. spring — the season
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cue — for pool
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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