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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. lie — to recline
  4. file — a document
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. file — a line of people
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. content — the amount
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cue — a hint
  18. content — happy
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. file — a tool
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — to spread on bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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