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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 124 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 don't need to ________________ round.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. staff — employees
  3. rock — music
  4. pop — music
  5. staff — employees
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pop — soda
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. cue — for pool
  17. track — a song
  18. rock — a stone
  19. track — a path
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. calf — of the leg

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