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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rest — a break
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. court — of law
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stock — shares
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fall — to drop
  17. court — for sport
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fall — the season
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stock — goods
  22. court — of a king
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pitch — completely

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