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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wound — an injury
  9. track — a song
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rush — to 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