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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 116 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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — hurry
  6. object — to protest
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. object — an aim
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cue — a hint
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bound — certain
  15. object — a thing
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bound — tied together

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