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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wake — a trail
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rest — a break
  10. mug — a face
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — a hint
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. current — of water
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rest — what's left
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. current — electric
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. current — happening now

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