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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. rest — a break
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. hand — in cards
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. tube — the underground
  19. deal — to handle
  20. hand — help
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. rush — a thrill
  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