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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 will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. present — a gift
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. track — a song
  14. cue — a hint
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. track — a path
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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