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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stock — shares
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stock — goods
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kick — in football
  22. cue — a hint
  23. dip — to sink
  24. leaves — of a tree

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