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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. march — the month
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hand — in cards
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bound — obliged
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bound — certain
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hand — help
  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