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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. drill — army training
  4. board — to get on
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. cue — a hint
  8. shower — to wash
  9. cue — a signal
  10. content — happy
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. drill — the tool
  14. board — a committee
  15. mug — a face
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mug — a cup
  18. content — the amount
  19. pit — a hole
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pit — in a race
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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