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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. root — the cause
  13. cue — a signal
  14. track — a path
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hand — in cards
  19. march — the month
  20. track — a song
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — help
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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