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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cue — a signal
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. staff — employees
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. race — a contest
  13. club — for golf
  14. cue — for pool
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. staff — employees
  20. club — a group
  21. race — humankind
  22. perch — the fish
  23. dip — to sink
  24. club — for dancing

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