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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. chest — of your body
  3. object — an aim
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a music group
  7. chest — a box
  8. cue — a hint
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. content — the amount
  11. suit — to fit
  12. object — a thing
  13. suit — in cards
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. content — happy
  16. suit — clothes
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. cue — a signal
  22. object — to protest
  23. chest — of your body
  24. temple — a place of worship

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