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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cap — of ice
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. club — for dancing
  6. cap — a hat
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — a group
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. club — for golf
  21. cap — a lid
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. cue — a signal
  24. shower — rain

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