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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. firm — steady
  4. court — for sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. court — of law
  8. cue — a signal
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. firm — decided
  11. net — for catching
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. cue — a hint
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. mug — a face
  19. court — of a king
  20. mug — a cup
  21. firm — a company
  22. dip — to sink
  23. band — a music group
  24. dip — a sauce

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