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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: squash · cue · mark · leaves · rest · patient · roll · fork

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. squash — the sport
  13. roll — a cake
  14. fork — in a road
  15. squash — to crush
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rest — a break
  19. cue — for pool
  20. roll — a list
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mark — a trace

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