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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 124 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. tube — a container
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — a signal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bound — obliged
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bound — tied together
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. row — a line
  21. snap — to click
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bound — certain

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