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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. sharp — with an edge
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wind — moving air
  6. lie — to recline
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wind — moving air
  9. can — a tin
  10. scale — size or range
  11. sharp — clever
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bore — to tire
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. can — a tin
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. can — to be able to
  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