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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. can — a tin
  3. hand — help
  4. cue — for pool
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bound — tied together
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bound — certain
  16. can — a tin
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. cue — a signal
  19. hand — in cards
  20. cue — a hint
  21. sharp — clever
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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