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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. board — to get on
  4. mug — a cup
  5. board — a committee
  6. cue — a hint
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pit — in a race
  9. capital — money
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cue — a signal
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. mug — a face
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. swing — in golf
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. swing — music
  22. capital — a city
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. hand — part of the body

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