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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. cue — a hint
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. present — the time now
  9. deal — to handle
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stock — goods
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stock — shares
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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