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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: staff · game · perch · cell · cue · ball · ground · patient

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cell — in biology
  4. ball — a dance
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. game — a match
  7. cue — for pool
  8. staff — employees
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cell — a phone
  15. ground — a position
  16. cue — a hint
  17. staff — a stick
  18. ball — a great time
  19. staff — employees
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ground — crushed
  24. game — wild animals

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