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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. cue — for pool
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rule — government
  6. content — the amount
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rash — a series
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rule — a law
  16. rash — hasty
  17. game — wild animals
  18. content — happy
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mark — a grade
  21. kid — child
  22. cue — a hint
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. cue — a signal

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