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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. object — to protest
  4. game — a match
  5. object — an aim
  6. game — wild animals
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wind — moving air
  13. object — a thing
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. rush — hurry

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