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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. present — a gift
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ball — a dance
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — a hint
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. present — the time now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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