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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. race — the arms race
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fine — all right
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. suit — clothes
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. wind — moving air
  22. race — humankind
  23. suit — to fit
  24. race — a contest

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