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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. season — in sport
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. face — to confront
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cue — a hint
  8. face — part of the head
  9. hand — in cards
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. object — a thing
  12. face — to point toward
  13. tube — a container
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. spell — magic
  16. object — to protest
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. object — an aim
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. season — of the year

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