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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 116 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. sharp — clever
  6. content — the amount
  7. object — an aim
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. cue — for pool
  10. object — to protest
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. hand — help
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pit — a hole
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. object — a thing
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — a signal

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