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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. fine — all right
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. foot — a measure
  6. fine — high quality
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lean — to bend
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lean — thin
  15. pass — a permit
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cue — a signal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. saw — the tool

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