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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pass — a permit
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. saw — the tool
  8. race — the arms race
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. race — humankind
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wind — moving air
  20. race — a contest
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cue — a signal
  24. spring — the season

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