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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: racket · pit · perch · patient · cue · date · charge · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cue — a signal
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — for pool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pit — in a race
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. firm — decided
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. date — the fruit
  15. firm — a company
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pit — a hole
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cue — a hint
  20. charge — in control
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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