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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bound — certain
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bound — tied together
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. tube — a container
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mug — a face
  13. hand — help
  14. mug — a cup
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rock — a stone
  19. cue — a hint
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rock — music

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