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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.

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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. cue — a signal
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — a country
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rock — music
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rock — a stone
  10. land — ground
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mug — a cup
  15. scale — in music
  16. cue — a hint
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cue — for pool

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