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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 120 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. tube — a container
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. chair — a leader

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