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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: last · patient · cue · mouse · object · content · nail · club

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. cue — for pool
  6. last — finally
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. content — happy
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — to protest
  15. club — for golf
  16. cue — a signal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. last — to go on
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. cue — a hint
  21. club — a group
  22. last — final
  23. club — for dancing
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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