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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 124 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mug — a cup
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pop — music
  7. clip — to cut
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. present — the time now
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — a stone
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. clip — a video
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cue — for pool
  21. clip — for paper
  22. pop — to visit
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mug — a face

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