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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. rush — hurry
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cue — a hint
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mug — a face
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cue — a signal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bound — certain
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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