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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. cue — a signal
  4. object — to protest
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mug — to rob
  9. object — an aim
  10. hand — help
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mug — a face
  14. object — a thing
  15. content — the amount
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. content — happy
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. jam — in traffic

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