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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 120 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. fine — all right
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. last — to go on
  10. cue — a hint
  11. band — a ring
  12. last — finally
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mug — a face
  15. band — a music group
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — in a road
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mug — to rob
  24. last — final

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