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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mate — a friend
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mug — to rob
  10. march — the month
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. march — the month
  14. mug — a face
  15. march — music
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fork — to eat with

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