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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pop — soda
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ball — a great time
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. file — a tool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cue — a signal
  15. last — finally
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. last — final
  19. file — a document
  20. pop — music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. last — to go on
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. snap — to click

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