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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cap — a hat
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cue — a signal
  17. game — a match
  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