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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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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: cell · patient · bay · rash · saw · board · cue · wave

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rash — a series
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rash — hasty
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cell — a phone
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cue — a hint
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. board — to get on
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cue — for pool
  24. board — a committee

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