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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. rock — a stone
  3. track — a path
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. spring — a coil
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. track — to keep track
  11. clip — for paper
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. spring — of water
  19. firm — steady
  20. spring — the season
  21. track — a song
  22. rock — music
  23. rush — hurry
  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