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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — clever
  3. staff — employees
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cue — a hint
  7. content — happy
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. staff — employees
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. staff — a stick
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. content — the amount
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fan — a supporter

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