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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. tear — from crying
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cue — a signal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. tear — to rip
  12. cue — for pool
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pop — to visit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bound — tied together
  18. game — a match
  19. bound — certain
  20. game — wild animals
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. cue — a hint

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