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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 help me carry this box?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cue — for pool
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cue — a hint
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. can — a tin
  9. spring — of water
  10. spell — magic
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — bread
  15. spring — the season
  16. cue — a signal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. spring — a coil
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. ball — a dance
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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