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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: roll · mine · cue · kick · bowl · deal · shower · patient

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. shower — a meteor shower
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. shower — to wash
  4. cue — a signal
  5. roll — a list
  6. mine — for digging
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. kick — in football
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. shower — rain
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. roll — a cake
  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