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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rush — hurry
  5. present — the time now
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. cue — a signal
  9. ball — a great time
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. present — a gift
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. band — a music group
  14. drill — army training
  15. present — there
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. foot — a measure
  20. drill — the tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. sharp — clever
  23. drill — a practice
  24. band — a ring

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