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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bank — for money
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bank — of a river
  8. board — to get on
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mug — a cup
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. cue — a signal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. board — a committee
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cue — for pool

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