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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cue — for pool
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ground — a position
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. chest — a box
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. hand — help
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ground — crushed

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