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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bear — the animal
  6. court — of a king
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. toast — bread
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rush — hurry
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of law
  20. kid — child
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. kid — to tease

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