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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cue — a signal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cue — a hint
  6. tear — from crying
  7. charge — in control
  8. wind — moving air
  9. charge — electricity
  10. tear — to rip
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mark — a grade
  17. charge — a price
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wake — a trail
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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