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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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mate — a partner
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. rock — music
  9. mate — to breed
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rock — a stone
  16. content — happy
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cue — a signal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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