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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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. swing — to play on
  5. clip — a video
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bound — tied together
  8. cue — a signal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — electricity
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bound — certain
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. charge — in control
  17. net — in sport
  18. charge — a price
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — a hint
  21. swing — music
  22. bound — obliged
  23. swing — in golf
  24. clip — for paper

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