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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. rest — a break
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. chair — a leader
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. kid — child
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cue — for pool
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mug — a face
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kid — to tease
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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