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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lean — to bend
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cue — a signal
  12. tube — a container
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lean — thin
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fine — all right
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cue — for pool
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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