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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. pop — to visit
  5. hand — in cards
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cue — a hint
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — boats
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. craft — a skill
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pop — soda
  18. mug — to rob
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mug — a cup
  21. hand — help
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pop — music
  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