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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cue — for pool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bound — certain
  9. ball — a dance
  10. object — an aim
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bound — tied together
  18. arm — part of the body

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