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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. cue — for pool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bank — of a river
  7. kid — child
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bank — for money
  22. cue — a hint
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. mark — a trace

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