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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. swing — to play on
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. swing — in golf
  13. roll — a list
  14. bore — to drill
  15. swing — music
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lean — thin
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ball — a round shape

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