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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — to handle
  12. track — a path
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rush — hurry
  23. track — a song
  24. rush — to hurry

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