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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. kick — in football
  3. date — the fruit
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rock — music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cell — in biology
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. cell — a phone
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. deal — a big deal

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