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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. season — of the year
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — a gift
  7. court — for sport
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. present — there
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bear — the animal
  13. court — of law
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cue — a signal
  18. present — the time now
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. court — of a king
  21. season — in sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bear — the animal

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