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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 120 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: deal · sharp · cue · clip · patient · foot · coach · ruler

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cue — a hint
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. deal — to handle
  6. clip — a video
  7. cue — a signal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. clip — to cut
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. clip — for paper
  18. foot — a measure
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cue — for pool
  22. sharp — clever
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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