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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. swing — music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. field — for sport
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mug — to rob
  7. field — farmland
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. net — after costs
  10. swing — in golf
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. club — for golf
  13. field — a subject
  14. deal — to handle
  15. cue — a signal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mug — a face
  18. net — for catching
  19. club — a group
  20. bore — to drill
  21. net — in sport
  22. bore — to tire
  23. swing — to play on
  24. club — for dancing

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