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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hand — help
  7. pound — a weight
  8. track — a path
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mark — a trace
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. track — a song
  18. cue — a signal
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. track — to keep track
  21. cue — a hint
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pound — to hit hard

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