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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. mug — a face
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bat — the animal
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. cue — a signal

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