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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: mouse · object · patient · bound · cue · deal · track · cell

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. cue — a hint
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. track — to keep track
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. track — a path
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a signal
  19. track — a song
  20. bound — certain
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cell — a phone

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