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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mug — a face
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fork — in a road
  13. march — the month
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. march — the month
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pass — a permit
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. march — music

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