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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. cue — for pool
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a signal
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. foot — a measure
  13. hand — help
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. present — a gift
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. cue — a hint
  21. spring — of water
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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