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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cue — a hint
  13. tube — a container
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pound — a weight
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tube — the underground

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