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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. cue — a signal
  5. squash — the sport
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. club — a group
  9. cue — a hint
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cue — for pool
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. club — for golf
  16. squash — to crush
  17. club — for dancing
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wake — a trail
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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