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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. object — a thing
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. game — wild animals
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. face — to confront
  11. bear — the animal
  12. face — to point toward
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — an aim
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. face — part of the head
  19. object — to protest
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. game — a match
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — a signal
  24. racket — for tennis

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