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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · wave · bore · key · fine · ball · cue · patient

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ball — a dance
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — in music
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bore — to drill
  18. content — the amount
  19. cue — a hint
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. content — happy
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wave — with your hand

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