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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. cue — for pool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mug — a face
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. cue — a hint
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. last — final
  15. cue — a signal
  16. last — finally
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. squash — to crush
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mug — to rob
  21. last — to go on
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wind — moving air

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