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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: cue · mouse · track · toast · rest · net · patient · hand

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. net — for catching
  5. toast — bread
  6. net — in sport
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. track — to keep track
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cue — a hint
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. track — a song
  14. rest — what's left
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rest — what's left
  17. net — after costs
  18. track — a path
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. cue — a signal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hand — help

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