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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cue — for pool
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rock — a stone
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rock — music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  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