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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. march — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ground — a position
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. march — the month
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ground — the earth
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bore — to drill
  13. cue — a hint
  14. snap — to click
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pitch — completely
  18. march — the month
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ground — crushed
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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