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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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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: patient · deal · face · bowl · cue · suit · wind · nail

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wind — moving air
  4. face — to confront
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. face — to point toward
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cue — for pool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — in cards
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. face — part of the head
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wind — moving air
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cue — a signal

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