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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wind — moving air
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — decided
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. firm — steady
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rest — a break
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rest — what's left
  23. firm — a company
  24. dip — a sauce

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