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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cue — for pool
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. prune — to trim
  7. land — a country
  8. bear — the animal
  9. land — ground
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. cue — a signal
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mug — a cup
  16. chair — a leader
  17. land — to come down
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mug — a face
  22. suit — to fit
  23. kick — in football
  24. suit — clothes

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