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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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Word bank
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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cue — a signal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. root — the cause
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rock — a stone
  8. land — a country
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. land — to come down
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cue — a hint
  16. root — of a word
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rock — music
  21. root — of a plant
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wind — moving air
  24. land — ground

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