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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 124 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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mine — for digging
  6. lie — to recline
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. charge — in control
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. cue — a hint
  14. charge — electricity
  15. dip — to sink
  16. charge — a price
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cue — a signal
  22. game — a match
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lie — an untruth

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