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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bulb — for light
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. degree — temperature
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fine — all right
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mug — to rob
  23. cue — a hint
  24. racket — for tennis

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