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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: snap · patient · ruler · cue · pop · jam · bat · key

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pop — music
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. pop — soda
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cue — a signal
  15. snap — to click
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cue — for pool
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. jam — a tight spot

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