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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wound — an injury
  7. game — a match
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rule — government
  15. rock — music
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. content — happy
  22. rule — a law
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. content — the amount

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