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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cue — for pool
  3. suit — to fit
  4. present — there
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — in cards
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. present — a gift
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hand — help
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. present — the time now
  21. mug — a cup
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. cue — a hint
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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