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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mark — a grade
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cue — for pool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. chair — a leader
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cue — a hint

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