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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. cue — a hint
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rest — what's left
  10. spell — letters
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wind — moving air
  14. spell — magic
  15. rest — a break
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. dip — to sink
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rest — what's left

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