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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. net — after costs
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. band — a ring
  7. cue — a signal
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — in sport
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pit — in a race
  14. lean — to bend
  15. sharp — clever
  16. band — a music group
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lean — thin
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ruler — for measuring

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