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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — the earth
  4. hand — in cards
  5. object — a thing
  6. ground — crushed
  7. branch — a division
  8. pit — in a race
  9. hand — help
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. fall — the season
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ground — a position
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. object — an aim
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. object — to protest
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cue — a hint

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