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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bound — tied together
  6. can — a tin
  7. hand — help
  8. bound — certain
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. fine — high quality
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bound — obliged
  16. fine — all right
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cue — a hint

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