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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. band — a music group
  3. rest — what's left
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — clothes
  8. tube — the underground
  9. band — a ring
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cue — a signal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cue — a hint
  14. tube — a container
  15. cue — for pool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rest — a break
  24. pitcher — a jug

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