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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.

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: bowl · hand · branch · patient · rush · stick · bay · cue

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cue — a hint
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cue — for pool
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. branch — a division
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. hand — help
  23. rush — a thrill
  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