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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. sharp — clever
  8. staff — employees
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. deal — to handle
  11. present — there
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. present — a gift
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — the animal
  24. present — the time now

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