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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cue — a hint
  3. deal — to handle
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lie — to recline
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cue — for pool
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mate — a friend
  13. game — a match
  14. ground — a position
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. mate — to breed
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. ground — the earth
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — wild animals
  24. chair — a leader

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