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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cue — a signal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. clip — for paper
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. clip — to cut
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. clip — a video
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. wave — of the sea

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