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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. cue — a signal
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. spring — a coil
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. cue — for pool
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mug — a cup
  19. track — a song
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — to rob

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