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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cue — a signal
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. mug — a face
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. mug — a cup
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — to push
  14. object — to protest
  15. cue — for pool
  16. row — a line
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. roll — a cake
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. row — to paddle
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mug — to rob

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