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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. The water is too ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cue — for pool
  6. hand — help
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cold — an illness
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. club — for dancing
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. fork — in a road
  17. club — a group
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. press — to push
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. press — a publisher
  23. club — for golf
  24. cue — a signal

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