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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bank — of a river
  6. board — a committee
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mug — a face
  14. board — to get on
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bank — for money
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mug — to rob

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