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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mug — a cup
  3. staff — employees
  4. swing — to play on
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. staff — a stick
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. net — after costs
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. net — in sport
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hand — help
  18. swing — music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. dip — to sink
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mug — a face
  23. cue — for pool
  24. net — for catching

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