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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rock — music
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — a law
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rule — government

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