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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mug — to rob
  6. current — of water
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cue — a hint
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. squash — the sport
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. track — a song
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. cue — a signal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — in music
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. squash — to crush

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