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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: foot · sharp · wave · mark · cue · deal · rock · patient

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mark — a grade
  3. sharp — clever
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rock — music
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cue — a hint
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cue — a signal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mark — a trace
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. patient — a sick person

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