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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. staff — a stick
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rule — government
  5. spell — letters
  6. rule — a law
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. spell — magic
  18. staff — employees
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. staff — employees
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rule — to rule out

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